1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates cleaning apparatuses, and more particularly, to an apparatus adapted for cleaning of handles and grips of golf clubs and like items
2. Description of the Related Art
As is well known, the gripping portions of golf clubs, tennis rackets, and like items become sticky, greasy and generally dirty after use and over a period of time. As a result, the serious sportsman will have his or her grips replaced on a regular basis. Such replacement of golf grips can be troublesome and expensive, and will result in an unnecessary waste collection stream of used rubber golf grips into our landfills.
However, the prior grip washers tend to be ineffective or, alternately, relatively complicated, and correspondingly, relatively expensive. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 7,055,534, issued in the name of Goode et al., discloses articles, solutions, and methods for enhancing the grasping of and cleaning athletic equipment grips, in particular a golf club grip. These articles, solutions, and methods preferably comprise a water miscible solvent, a cleaning agent, and water to removes dirt, perspiration, water, and dried skin oils that have accumulated on the grip during the normal course of participating in athletic activity, while cleaning, drying, and restoring the natural tackiness of the grip. However, this wipe as sold by Grip Clean, LLP, the assignee, is basically an alcohol wipe, which will not effectively generate the desired result in that alcohol in not an appropriate solvent in that is does not restore tackiness of the grip and will actually dry out the material.
Also, U.S. Pat. No. 5,664,277, issued in the name of Matlock, discloses a golf grip cleaning device mounted on a support which is in turn mounted on a base. The base can be stationed at the tee box of the golf course or can be mounted on a golf car itself. However, such a device has no rinsing capacity, and the anticipated use at the tee box will inevitably slow down the pace of play unnecessarily.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,897,892, issued in the name of Bubien, discloses a golf club grip cleaner that is complex and motorized.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,269,512, issued in the name of Thomson et al., discloses a grip washer includes a tubular body having a closed lower end for holding cleaning fluid and an open upper end for receiving the grips or handles to be cleaned. A helical cleaning brush with multiple turns for cleaning the grips is threaded into position in the body. A second helical brush of a single turn threaded into the body and spaced above the cleaning brush provides a splash guard function during grip cleaning. However, such a device is without a rinsing source, and the anticipated anchoring mechanisms appear to be unbalanced and unworkable.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,732,435, issued in the name of Williams et al., discloses a device for cleaning golf-club heads, not the grips.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,269,615, issued in the name of Lewis, Jr., discloses a grip cleaning device for removing debris, sweat and/or other foreign matter from the grip material on athletic equipment such as golf clubs, rackets of all kinds and handle grips on bikes and the like. The device includes tufts with working ends defining a cleaning surface for the grip and an integral cleaning liquid dispenser.
Finally, U.S. Pat. No. 5,094,557, issued in the name of Nelson et al., discloses a golf club handle renovating device for cleaning and for removing an outer, weather-hardened rubber surface of a golf club handle to expose an underlying supply rubber surface includes a tube containing a plurality of stiff plastic blades attached at one end to the inner surface of the tube. The blades project inwardly from the inner surface of the tube so that a second end of the blades define a longitudinal central void adapted to closely receive the handle therein.
Some golf enthusiasts even suggest that their golf game is affected by a dirty grip (see e.g., Matlock, U.S. Pat. No. 5,664,277). Thus, there is a recognized need for grip and handle washers, and there are multiple prior patents disclosing a variety of prior grip washer arrangements.